Dear Friends,
The month of June is Pride Month, and the activities that are taking place around the world are designed to open our hearts and our minds to the needs of the LGBTQ+ Community. This year, in the wake of a rising tide of oppressive laws around the country, it is very important that we take time to broaden our understanding of the issues at hand, regardless of our political orientations.
At HCRJ, we will be having a special Shabbat service in the spirit of Pride Month on June 23. More information about that program will be forthcoming.
In the meantime, Pride events are taking place around the City of Houston. Please consider taking the time to support these events and try to expand your understanding of a broad spectrum of concerns that face the LGBTQ+ Community.
In Judaism, we are taught that we are all created in the image of God and that we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. These two important values lay at the heart of our obligation to open our hearts with love, our ears with empathy, and our minds with a willingness to try to understand the challenges, needs and circumstances of the LGBTQ+ Community today.
L’Shalom,
Steve